Restaurants that often don’t have fish on the menu have enhanced their offerings, especially on Fridays. The stoles of clergy have changed to purple and the “alleluias” in worship have been retired. On Wednesday, 17 February, the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany season will end and our annual journey through Lent to Easter begins.
Lent is 40 days, not counting Sundays, prior to Easter. This season, for me, is a period of focused reflection and recalibration. Some use it as a period of penitence, pleasure-denial, and even punishment, but I have always thought those approaches miss an opportunity. Lent stems from the practice of Jesus retold in Matthew, Mark, and Luke in which he engages in a period of fasting, praying, and meditation for forty days in the desert wilderness. In some of the stories, he is “tempted by the devil;” all three gospels place the story following his baptism. And immediately following his return from this 40-day period, Jesus embarks on his public ministry. Only then was he ready.
We commence our pilgrimage on Ash Wednesday. (more…)
Popularity: 18% [?]
Additionally, during Lent, Central will be launching a redesigned website for our church. Watch for updates and please be patient as we migrate to the new site. (During Lent, patience might be a good spiritual focus.)
Thank you for the many expressions of sympathy and concern during the recent illnesses and deaths of Evelyn and James Mahaffey. Your prayers, cards, notes, food, visits, memorial gifts, and attendance at services meant more to us than we can ever express. We are especially grateful for the kindness, comfort, and presence of Rev. Dr. Pater throughout the weeks of this ordeal. The Mahaffey Family
We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the many kindnesses, cards, thoughts and prayers you have showered upon us during Erin’s illness over the last 7 months. Erin is doing much better and has even returned to school and her part-time job ! Although she has several more months of treatment ahead of her, the load of this journey is lightened, knowing we have all of you by our side.
It was great to be back with you in worship Sunday January 24. I am honored (if slightly embarrassed!) to be designated organist emeritus. Maureen and I continue to cherish our ties to Central Church and had a wonderful time catching up with so many of you after the service. We look forward to being a part of the community in 2010.
I find there are no words to adequately express my thankfulness to you individually as well as to the congregation as a whole. Gracious! Just a year ago, you showered me with gifts of love through cards and words and money and appreciation. I was overwhelmed then. And here on the 24th of January I was back among my dearest friends once again hearing of your love and concern for me. I remain overwhelmed. But I will also remain connected to you by wonderful memories and by my deep feelings of love and concern for you at Central. The reception was so nice. The “plaque” is exquisite and will remain in full view on my desk. Again thank you for 20 years of friendship, support in an environment of growth spiritually, and laughter and tears and beautiful music. Elizabeth Rice
Huang Fu was a young staff member of the Beijing Youth League when he was sent down to a village near Mizhi in 1957. He lived there with a peasant family for about one year, then settled in Xi’an, where he and his wife taught for more than 40 years. By the 1980s Huang Fu realized that life was changing in Shaanbei, one of China’s “outback” areas. He organized the Shaanxi Folk-life Photography Association, bringing together a number of photographers, to capture the changing life of this area. (See the map accompanying this exhibit for the places referred to.)
Great Decisions an eight week course designed to help citizens be better informed about major world and national issues continues through March. Sponsored by the Foreign Policy Association, persons from the community attend as well as Central members.
